


Surprises

by InsominiacArrest



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - Human, Cute, F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-01-10
Updated: 2016-01-17
Packaged: 2018-05-12 21:52:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 943
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5682142
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/InsominiacArrest/pseuds/InsominiacArrest
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ruby is a barista, Sapphire is the only customer at 5:30 in the morning, it's a coffee shop AU.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Things You Hear

**Author's Note:**

> I feel like it's some right of passage all fanfic writers write about coffee shops eventually

She had a glass eye, that’s what they said, bright blue and barely noticeable but a glass one all the same. Like a pirate.

She may or may not be psychic, she may or may not have ice in her voice if you asked her anything personal. She may or may not be gorgeous.

 

Ruby didn’t like to listen to the dribble of her co-workers but she had to admit, she had heard a lot about this woman, enough to take the early morning shift when Abby called in sick.

 

Ruby washed the counters, swept the floor and made no less than one coffee in the first half an hour, 5 am was even too early for most people.

 

At 5:30 however had Ruby holding her breath. And the bell on the door chimed.

 

She didn’t know what she expected, maybe a peg leg or a knock-off fortune teller in shalls, not this. A vision of a little woman walks into the shop, clipped steps, head held high, sweeping bangs that framed her face.

 

Ruby’s mouth goes dry.

She became acutely aware of the fact they were the only two people in the Coffee House at that moment.

She nods her head at Ruby.

There is an eerie silence between them as she approaches the counter, Ruby always hated silence.

 _“Is it true you have a glass eye?_ ” Of course that was the first thing out of her mouth. The woman tilted her head and looked perplexed, Ruby lunged forward, “oh my God, stupid, stupid, I’m so sorry.”  
  
The woman in blue gives a tinkling laugh, “it’s alright. I thought you might ask something like that.”  
  
Ruby nods her head earnestly as if to unscrew her own neck like a doll and have it go flying off. 

“What will it be ma'am?” Her fingers hover over her register, she’d be the best employee this woman damn well saw.

“Sapphire.”

“Hmm?”

“It’s Sapphire. I thought you should know, for the future.” Her voice was calm and otherworldly, it unnerved Ruby but also made her stand up straight and pay attention.

“Sapphire,” she repeats and then shakes her head back into the present, “what will it be?”

“Surprise me.”

Ugh, that was the other thing Ruby had heard, she said 'surprise me' every single morning. Gross.

“Something caffeinated and,” she smiled, “sweet.”

She liked the way she said that she said that word. That she said all words.

Sapphire hands her some dollar bills and says the rest will go towards a tip. But it was way too much.

After some protests and bargaining Ruby accepts the money and has an internal combustion: _what do you make for some business lady who looked like_ **_that_ ** _this early in the morning??_

 

She settles on a caramel macchiato thing and gets creative, Ruby sometimes liked to mess around with the ingredients, this was her time to shine.

 

She is sweating through her T-shirt and barely keeping track of the ingredients she put in. There was like, hazelnut? Nutmeg?

Either way, she figured Sapphire was in a hurry and Ruby needed a special drink for her ASAP.

“Here you go.” She squeaks while trying to suppress any panting.

“Thank you.” Sapphire takes it from her politely and then carefully brings it to her lips.

She blinks once, twice, and then again.

She sniffs it, inspects it, she looks at it like a scientist with a specimen.

“Uh,” Ruby’s stomach clenches. “Anything wrong?”

“Did you...plan this?” She asks out loud and Ruby doesn’t know what to say.

“No, I just sort of made it.” She taps her fingers together nervously, “I can make another one.” She dives for a cup but Sapphire touches her hand.

“No need.” She takes a sip. “I love it.”

  
Ruby watches in staunch silence as the woman leaves. She worries her stomach would never unknot itself after that, but she manages to wave good bye ecstatically all the same.

Sapphire. Huh.


	3. Better a Lion than a Mouse

Sapphire was surprised. And she was never surprised.

Nothing like this had ever caught her attention, given something for her concentrate on, and even look forward to.

She tried to memorize the little barista's work schedule.

Certainly that might clear up the matter, surely it would all make sense if she observed a little longer, however, it did not. She made her something unexpected every time and it began to give Sapphire a headache.

"Do you believe in fate Miss Ruby?" She asked one morning.

"You can call me just Ruby." Ruby clarified. "And not really."

"That's a shame."

"Aren't you some sort of psychic? I heard you were psychic." She certainly always said what she was thinking.

"I sometimes offer my services to people."

"Is that like your job?"

She chuckles to herself again, "no. I am a foreign affairs consultant."

Ruby's eyes go wide and looks down shyly, "sounds fancy."

"It's nothing special. I just have a knack for predicting elections."

"Hmm," Ruby leans in, "I would guess you were good at your job."

"Oh?"

Ruby's face heats up before her eyes, "you just look like that sort of person."

She smiles, "you're good at your job too." She consoles the little barista.

"Nah. But I always need to pay the rent. Speaking of what'll it be today?"

"Surprise me."

Ruby nods, Sapphire hands her an extra large tip, once again Ruby tries to deny it but Sapphire is very persuasive.

They part ways, the drink is some sort of Chai with a special type of creme. Sapphire sighed heavily, it was naturally beyond what she expected. Again.

She had to keep coming back, nothing could stop her now.


End file.
